Learning new skills is hard. There is always the friction of just being bad at something and releasing it to the world as you learn. I'm doing that with a podcast. Some of you have tuned into YouTube where I've posted videos, and may again post more. However I find the time investment daunting and my consistency isn't really there. It made me evaluate what I enjoy vs what I'm doing. I enjoy writing and I enjoy chatting with people, learning their story, getting to know them. Podcasts seem like a natural fit.

So a few months ago I acquired a simple podcast setup and recorded a test episode with my daughter. It went well, but I botched the audio completely forgetting to turn her mic on leaving me with having to pull some editing magic to get it remotely listenable. I shelved the podcast for a while as I tend to do with big ideas, but resurrected it when I was interviewed for one myself. The second effort was much better quality for audio so that made me happy.

I enjoy podcasts because unlike YouTube I can consume them on the go. While running, driving or commuting podcasts make great companions. My interview skills need work, my audio editing skills need work, but I'm enjoying the process and I hope you'll join me. I have several people that I'd like to interview, athletes, authors, business people, chefs and more. I'm sure it'll be bumpy as I start but you never now, it could be great.

Well I've been an absentee blogger for a while. There has been an internal quarrel with myself about whether I wanted to continue writing and the "not writing" argument was winning. I think in part I was enjoying living in anonymity. However time and space made me remember the joy of contributing in my own small way to the health/fitness/nutrition space.

So I've begun to record some podcast episodes (two done, more to follow) largely because I recognize that while I enjoy writing (and will continue to do so) many people skip over reading nowadays. As some of you know I did some YouTube videos for a while, and more may appear, however it's not something I truly loved investing time in so that friction always existed for me. It always felt like I was giving away too much of myself.

One media form I've always enjoyed and consumed were podcasts. I use them when I run, drive and to pass time while commuting. I've decided to start my own in the form of interviews generally in long form discussion format. Look for the first one to appear sometime in March with links to follow.

In the meantime I had the pleasure of seeing how it all worked in an interview for the InventSean podcast and vlog. You can find the video here and audio here. I hope you enjoy it. Also stay tuned on this page because I have a few posts I've been kicking around in my head for months and it's probably time I sat down to write.

A beer and a Veggie Dog at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. As a side note, the ballparks in California are very veggie friendly

Every time I go through a 16 week marathon training program I stop drinking. It's been a tradition for all five of the races I've trained for. Once I complete my race I usually celebrate with a big dinner and a drink (as well as ungodly amounts of sweets). This past October however an idea came over me to skip the return to booze. Part of that may have been a result of my struggles with nausea last year which cancelled any post-race celebration. Reflecting on it though I think I was craving a break from the booze and while I didn't initially set out to go alcohol free for a year it eventually became the goal.

I didn't drink from June 1st of 2017 until June 21st of 2018 where I had a beer at a baseball game in Anaheim watching my Toronto Blue Jays lose to the Angels. This post has been written in my mind a few times over the past year originally dwelling on alcohol and health, then on alcohol and dependance than finally a realization that eliminating drinking from your life isn't really the momentous experience I thought it would be.

Here is what happened in a year of not drinking:

1: My Motivation was higher in the morning: One of the two reasons I originally quit drinking during my marathon training was that I found it difficult to convince myself to get out of bed for early morning runs even if I had a single glass of beer. This notion stuck with me over the years. I do find that I wake earlier, feeling rested and ready to go most mornings after avoiding drinking the night before.

2. I Didn't Drink My Calories: Back when I first started running I was attempting to lose weight (and eventually lost 55 pounds). A piece of advice that resonated with me early was to not drink your calories, meaning avoiding sugary drinks and alcohol. I've been at the same weight now for 5 years and I attribute some of that to not being a regular drinker even when I'm not actively training.

3. I Had Fewer Regrets:​ I've ever been a problem drinker, though I certainly had binges in my teens and twenties. When I stopped drinking I avoided all those next day cringes at my late night booze induced behaviour. I'll admit that spending time with drunk people now while sober can be occasionally amusing, but for the most part I prefer to avoid it. Drunk jokes aren't nearly as funny when you're sober.

4. It Clamped Down on my Social Life (at first): ​When you show up to a pub with friends and order sparkling water it can be funny and a source of ribbing one or two times. You'll get some insistence from some people that you indulge. After a time you'll get invited out less often. I found the same when I stopped eating animals, I received fewer dinner invitations. Generally what I've learned is that people enjoy spending time with like-minded people and you have to be OK with that. After some time your true friends and family will get used to you as you are and the invites will return. The key is to assure them your choices have nothing to do with them, to never judge and to be relaxed about comments made to you about your non-conforming choices.

5. I Became More Genuinely Social: ​For me, drinking greased the wheels of social interaction. I'm one of those people that enjoys being around others, but tends to be shy at the same time. It's an odd mix of extroversion and introversion. Alcohol often helped bring out what I felt was the true me, a chatty outgoing happy person. What I found in sobriety was that while I wasn't as outgoing, the interactions I had were much more genuine, interesting and meaningful. I also learned to listen. It turns out that "drunk me" talks a lot and "sober me" listens more. While sober, I found people and their opinions much more interesting and was better able to ascertain whether I enjoyed being around particular people.

6. I Did Frequently Get Asked If I Was an Alcoholic: ​This was a big source of internal anxiety for me around the halfway point of this experiment when I was attending Christmas parties. I was worried about the perception by others that I'd be an alcoholic. Eventually I sat with a friend of mine that is an addictions counsellor and asked his advice on how to avoid the stigma. His answer surprised me. "Why does it matter? So what if people think you're an alcoholic." That gave me pause. I realized I'd had this misguided notion that a drinking problem was some sort of fault or cause for shame. His simple answer helped me to let it go. If asked directly I simply answered that no I didn't have a drinking problem but I became completely at ease with others assuming I had.

7. I Didn't Miss It (usually): I had my first weak moment around 10 months in. I can't remember the exact event but it was a craving for a cold beer I think on a hot day. I expected to have frequent moments of temptation but they just didn't occur. I do like a nice glass of whiskey at times and hot summer days do seem like a nice time for a beer, but it was never difficult for me to resist temptation.

8. Sobriety Became Important to Me: The past six years have been an important awakening for me. Not only have I had a health journey, become athletic and changed my diet but I've also in many senses woken up for the first time in my life. I've become observant of my surroundings which might sound odd, but I lament that I spent the first 39 years of my life on autopilot. I've become aware of the world around me, I listen to and learn from people much more deeply and I'm constantly curious. Sobriety lends itself to that and suits me at this time in my life. It allows me to seek genuine connections. As Canada (and much of the world it seems) moves toward legalizing marijuana and increasing access to escapist substances I'm finding myself attracted to mindfulness, awareness and presence.

9. It Changed my Perception of Why I Drink: ​I'll admit that drinking for me was often just participating in a social ritual. I mindlessly took part without considering if I even wanted to. I decided to break my alcohol fast at a baseball game along with a veggie dog as a beer and hotdog always seemed to suit me for that kind of activity. Even though the beer was a light one and a hotdog isn't something I generally eat (lets face it, they are gross) it tasted mighty delicious while watching the game. I ended up attending four games while on holiday and only had that one beer. No sudden rush of alcoholic desire came to me. Reflecting on being a drinker again I feel like my choices will be more centred on whether I want to drink, not whether I feel I should. Meaning that social expectation is meaningless to me now. I don't feel the need to drink to fit in, nor to grease the social wheels. It also occurs to me that should I drink I should enjoy it. No low grade choices. If I'm drinking whiskey it's a good one. I don't really care for wine so why bother? And beer? Well if I'm at another ballgame..... As for my morning motivation, it never gets hampered by last nights hangover. Did I mention I really don't miss hangovers?

I came across this in a book I'm reading right now by Ray Dalio called Principles. It seems a lot of people, myself included, are having a rather rough time in the world today. For me it's helpful to reflect on words like this. I hope it resonates with you.

It's time to reflect on the past year and plan for the next. I'm not into the resolution thing, but if you are I'll say that I've made them in the past both successfully and with failure. Resolutions seem so absolute. They are a promise, and I hate breaking promises as they leave no room for adjustments and they tend to be Herculean in nature. They also seem temporary rather than consistent. So instead. this year I'm back to planning. Plans can be adjusted and if 2017 taught me anything, it's that you have to roll with the punches.

Anyway, enough explanation, let's get into it. .

Fitness:

2017 started with 6 months of rehabbing plantar fasciitis. This was at the tail end of a year long battle that started weeks before I ran the Boston Marathon in 2016. Over that year I tried physiotherapy, ice, rest, the sleeping boot and laser therapy to no avail. I learned to use KT tape to support the foot successfully but that never solved the problem entirely. Finally shockwave therapy quickly cured the issue and so I was exposed to one more option in my war chest of fixes for running injuries. I was happy to be running pain free and registered for the Victoria Marathon in October.

While training for the marathon I decided to train lightly, meaning I didn't push high mileage and was mindful of my foot or any pain that arose. It turned into the best marathon training I've ever done leaving me fit, healthy and pain free at the starting line. It was also short on total mileage which showed up on race day withme bonking at 32km. Despite planning well, I faltered on in-race nutrition which didn't help. In the end this was a very enjoyable marathon, one I was glad to have run and a step in the right direction as I try and master this race distance.

I ran my furthest distance ever of 46km at the Cedar Ultra, a 6 hour event. I did a large amount of walking during the day and enjoyed the company of others but it gave me some important insights into longer events. Fuelling at slower distances (eating food) is much easier as your body is settled and not exerting itself too hard. Recovery is very fast as well. I was able to easily run the next day with no soreness. I've signed up for the event again in 2018, hoping to do 60km.

I entered my first organized cycling events in 2017. At the start of the year I joined mylocal cycling club to get familiar with group rides and being close to other cyclists. My wife and I did a 55km ride at the Tour de Victoria which was fun and useful for me so I could gain experience at a cycling event. In September I participated in the 122km Whistler Gran Fondo. It went well, the distance and climb up the sea to sky highway weren't overly challenging but my cycling inexperience showed up as I underdressed and finished the race near hypothermia. In 2018 my wife and I are again doing the Tour de Victoria together as it falls on our wedding anniversary weekend and I've signed up for the Okanagan Gran Fondo in July. I'm hoping for warmer weather and a faster time in my second attempt at a cycling event. Similar to the Cedar Ultra, what I like about cycling is recovery is very fast, I was able to go out for a run the day after my last Gran Fondo with no trouble.

in 2017 I started the year consistently doing gym workouts and yoga. Sometime around October I dropped both largely I think due to a desire to lack of time and desire. I started back in late December with gym workouts and I'm already noticing some strength improvements. I strongly believe yoga helps keep me injury free and more importantly stress free so I'd like to go back to that soon. Swimming has pretty much dropped off my radar for the past year. I went a few times and was so horrified by my lack of skill that I stopped going. Assuming I want to do a triathlon one day I'll have to drag myself back to the pool.

In 2018 I have three running goals. A 5K and 10K PB are two of them. The Bazan Bay 5K and Rattler Run 10K are my goal races. My thought is that as I'm aging my window of opportunity to PB these shorter races is coming to an end. This means the spring will have to entail much more speed work, I'm not starting the year feeling particularly fast. My third goal is to race the Okanagan Marathon in October. I'm not looking for a PB, but I'd like to build on what I learned training last year.

Nutrition:

I graduated with a Nutrition Certificate from CSNN in 2017 and began an advanced class on athlete nutrition which I should be done in late January 2018. The course was difficult, but I enjoyed learning again, expanding my mind and challenging myself. I have some thoughts around the state of nutrition training in Canada, but want to save that for another post. In general though it was helpful to learn different viewpoints on diet to help get me out of my own echo-chamber of self affirming thought. I'm also more committed to the notion that a whole food plant-based diet is ideal for health longevity.

in 2018 I plan to enroll in an online cooking school that focusses on plant-based cooking. I'm excited about this as I very much enjoy cooking and want to include more recipes and cooking videos on this blog. Eventually I'd like to tackle a cookbook (long term goals).

The end of January will be my 5th anniversary of eating entirely plant-based. I've never once regretting making that change.

Life:

2017 was a tough year for a lot of people. The world is best described as .... unsteady. I've spent a lot of time absorbed in the news as have most of you I'm sure. I'm trying to find balance again and limit my hyper focus on current events. With social media in particular I think I've found a healthier balance. Namely I've removed Facebook from my mobile devices and I generally reduced my phone usage. I'm going to work on this more in 2018 along with my mindfulness practice.

Our family has gone through a tremendous amount of change in 2017. My wife ran for political office and lost, but the exposure of our lives to public scrutiny took its toll. I'm so glad she did it, the example she set for our daughter was amazing. I'm very proud of how she put herself out there but I'd be lying if I said it was stress free. I'm hoping for a quieter 2018.

I've closed my photography business at the end of 2017. For the past decade my identity has been tied up in that career and it's been very interesting to close a chapter of my life. I've returned to more full-time community support work and will take a few months to assess my path. Ultimately I'd like to spend more time writing both in the book I started a few years ago and on this blog. I'd like to improve my video skills on a YouTube channel and continue my education. I sense an explosion of the plant-based movement coming over the next few years and I know I have a place in helping others navigate a transition to a healthier lifestyle.

On my own health journey I'm starting 2018 hoping to finally deal with a couple of large kidney stones I've been carrying around for the past few years. While marathon training last summer I started to experience rather bad nausea after long runs. This all culminated in various doctors visits recently where blood was found in my urine and a referral to a urologist was made. On reflection I'm wondering if the nausea was just the crisis that earlier symptoms should have warned me about. I've long struggled with lack of appetite after running and difficulty taking in nutrition while running. Generally my stomach has never been as happy about my running hobby as the rest of my body has. Maybe the nausea was just the tipping point. My hope is that the urologist will agree to remove those stones, that I'll be able to enjoy a happy digestive system and ultimately a better marathon effort. You can see/hear more in the video below.

That's really it. I didn't expect to write this much. As always my hope is that my journey reflects well with your own. Whatever goals you have for 2018 I wish you success.

It's that time of year when you're waking up and contemplating the promises you've made to yourself about 2018. You're going to work harder, spend more time with family, start that new workout routine, write that book, quit smoking and lose 20 pounds. And right on time television, magazines and the internet are bombarding us with advertisements promising can't miss systems that will guide you through whatever desired change you've prescribed yourself.

A very wise friend once told me that success isn't created in heroic effort. It's done in little minuscule day by day ordinary efforts. Success is born out of consistency. Success is boring and largely unnoticed by others until one day they wake up and ask you for your secret. They haven't noticed your daily toils and struggles. They aren't interested in the unsexy truth of adherence to small changes. They want it fast and marketers are there to deliver. Lose 10 pounds in 10 days, join my gym and get your six-pack, take my workshop and be a world famous writer/photographer/singer. You get the idea.

Right now many thousands of people are plotting out workout plans they know they won't stick to long term. They have signed up for gym memberships they have no intention of using. They have bought a book on whatever the latest diet craze is (probably Ketogenic) and are swearing to themselves that this time it will stick. They are lying to themselves and somebody is getting rich selling them a treadmill and butter coffee.

Don't fall for it. You're better than this. It's not judgement on my part. I've fallen for it many times. I did Atkins, I did the cabbage soup diet, signed up for the gym, went to aerobics (let's just forget that one) and bought a weight set for my basement. It wasn't until I changed my lifestyle and my attitude that lasting change happened. I had to be willing to be on outlier. Now here I sit, leading an active lifestyle, healthy, fit and thin by any measure of modern human adults and I'm cringing at my past mistakes and those being made by others all around me. We know better. We really do.

You want to know the secret? Beware, it isn't sexy. It doesn't happen overnight. But it will lead to lasting change free from restriction, calorie shaming and yo-yo dieting. It will lead to active lifestyle habits that you enjoy rather than dread. Here is the secret. Get off your ass, just a little each day. If you need to start by walking 30 minutes a day, 15 minutes, 5 minutes....one Goddamn minute. Don't restrict your diet. Add to it. Eat a salad every day. Can't do that? How about a stick of celery. Come on, you can do a stick of celery. At the end of the year you'll have eaten 365 sticks of celery that otherwise would have never passed your lips.

What will happen is you'll surprise yourself. All your friends and loved ones will experience 6 weeks of heroic change and then sink back into the pit of despair. You'll envy their temporary success then quietly say nothing when they quit their newest "can't miss thing." Nobody will notice you. Pretty soon that stick of celery and 5 minute walk will turn into you eating vegetables every day, fruit, healthy food....every....day. You'll have less room for burgers and fries, pizza and beer. That 1 minute walk will turn into an hour. Maybe you'll finally have the energy to take up that sport you love..... running, curling, lacrosse, hockey......dancing. Whatever. The thing is you love it, you enjoy moving because it doesn't hurt anymore. Everyone else is paying $49 a month for their gym membership and you're living life.

The weight will drop, your health will improve. You'll look better and people will start to notice. Then they'll ask....what's the secret. Now's your chance, write a book, build a plan, create a diet.....sell it for $99 in 2019.

It's that time of year when family gatherings, Christmas parties and endless socials oriented around food dominate our lives. If you are a new (or even seasoned) vegan the challenges of navigating the social pressures and food temptations can be daunting. I recall my first few years as a vegan and the difficulties I had and thought it would be helpful to share some strategies and thoughts on getting through the holidays.

On Temptation: I thought it would be best to start here. If you're new to a plant based diet and going to Christmas parties and meals there will be a lot of food there that you may still enjoy like turkey, desserts, etc. For me now those foods are a turn-off so trust me it does get better, but in the meantime it pays to be prepared. Bring food to parties to share that is vegan so you can be sure something will be available to you. If you are going to a family dinner offer to cook some items. If you can't do without the "turkey" or whatever at the centre of your plate there are various packaged items from Tofurky and Gardein that may satisfy (or make your own). Yes they are processed junk foods, but two or three times a year aren't going to kill you. I often pre-eat before parties so I don't arrive hungry. When I arrive I seek out the inevitable vegetable tray and eat from it early to stay full and avoid temptation. Lastly, if you do slip and eat animal products or junk food don't despair. Perfection should never be the goal. I have a friend that is vegetarian except when at family celebrations where he eats whatever is served to fully take part with his family. His reasoning is that, like might have occurred in human history where meat was scarce, occasional feasts are suitable times for him to eat animals. I know this will resonate poorly with a lot of vegans (feel free to deposit hate mail in the comment section), but you need to navigate your own way and feel what is right for you. If you slip, get up the next day and begin again, no big deal.

On Social Pressures: Our first few holidays as vegans were rather easy as we participated in family gatherings normally just sticking to the vegetables and avoiding making a big deal of it with family. We weren't all that strict in the beginning. Eventually though, particularly in our home, we didn't want to have animal foods present. When inviting family to our home we didn't offer them a turkey, ham or whatever though we suggested they could bring one. This caused some friction and people declined to come. When you stop participating in a social norm it puts a spotlight on the rest of the group and can create tension even if you're not a preachy vegan. You need to make your own decision about animal foods in your home but when dealing with close family and friends it pays to be sensitive to their comfort. Christmas dinner is not the time to prattle on about animal welfare and cholesterol in turkey meat. Generally avoid the topic, treat it like politics and religion and stick to more comfortable conversational waters. If someone brings up my eating choices I generally make light of it, even encourage making fun of it. If you're setting a good example, living healthfully and happily that becomes contagious. Over the years our family and even some of our friends have incorporated more vegan options into their meals and come to like them without us exerting any pressure. It's become normal for them to be around us with our veggie-centric foods. There are still some people that avoid meals with us but that is ok. Remember that is their story, not yours.

If You're a Health and Fitness Fanatic: I've been accused, with good reason, of being hyper focused on eating healthy and exercise. The holidays can be troublesome for someone like me as health habits tend to slip and guilt can be a terrible thing. The weather is bad making exercise outdoors harder. Treats (sweets are my weakness) are plentiful and most social occasions orient around food. When I was fairly new to exercise I often ignored advice, preferring to learn things the hard way. This stubbornness came around to bite me on a few occasions with injury, fatigue and poor performance. If you happen to be more amenable to advice than I am, take this one piece of it. Rest. Unless you have a big competition coming in January it's ok and even healthy to give your body times of reduced training and increased recovery. You'll come back stronger for it. Consider cross training, such as snow-shoeing, cross country skiing, etc and take it easy, have fun, don't hit your target heart rates for once.

Holiday Travel: Advice I may give for travelling any time of year gets amplified during Christmas. Nerves are short, people are in a hurry and travel is hectic. If you are going somewhere for Christmas prepare in advance with foods you can easily bring with you. My go to choices are nuts, dried fruit, granola bars and even whole fruit (not if you're crossing an international border where fruit is often banned). When you get to an airport look to the sides offered at restaurants like salads and potatoes that are often vegan or in the convenience stores where they usually have packaged nuts, seeds, fruit etc. Bring some on the plane with you as you won't know what is offered on board.

On Drinking: I plan to write a bit more about this in the new year, but I have been abstaining from alcohol since last May and I'm tinkering with the notion of long term sobriety. Holidays are particularly challenging for those not imbibing as social pressures mount. For me, offering to be the designated driver and telling people I'm training have been helpful tools in deflecting social pressures. I worried for a time that people would wonder if I was an alcoholic but have come to relax about external judgement on the issue. If you choose to abstain or if you drink this article is particularly helpful in getting perspective. I'm not sure where I'm going with being a teetotaler, but if you're on the same path then this may be a challenging time of year. We are going through it together.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Thanks for joining me this year. To start 2018 and end 2017 I plan to write more often, share more recipes and videos and generally be more active. I hope you'll join me.

I really like the idea of sharing with you interesting things I've read/watched or come across from time to time. I know the world is full of information and it can be hard to curate that, but if you're interested in plant-based eating, fitness and self improvement then these little updates may be helpful to you.

I finished reading The Maffetone Method by Philip Maffetone recently and I'll have to start off this list with a "not recommended." The book is rather dated, and while a lot of the "fitness in moderation" advice is helpful most of the book relies on myth, opinion or is simply outdated (especially around nutrition). If you've heard of the Maffetone method just know, there is better, more current information out there in 2017.

A friend of mine is creating a documentary called Equus, Healing Through Horses and is fundraising her private effort to get the film made. Equine facilitated Wellness is fascinating, I hope you'll go look at the site and help to get this documentary made.

"There are two types of cardiologists, those that are vegan, and those that haven't seen the data." That comes from Dr Kim Williams, the President of the American College of Cardiology. His fascinating interview on the Rich Roll podcast will convince you that a whole foods plant based diet low in saturated fat is the only sensible reaction to curbing heart disease.

I love it when people bust the soy myths that are so pervasive on the internet, in books and mainstream media. Check out this video if the idea of soy making men grow breasts gets under your skin.

The CBC in Canada has put out a story emphasizing that parents should steer clear of plant based milks. The fear is that children shouldn't be on a low fat/protein diet and that most almond, rice and coconut milks aren't fortified, have zero protein and are low fat. They also comment that many are high in sugar. The article suggests that full fat milk or fortified soy milk are better choices. While the facts on the nutritional value of commercial nut milks are true, it's hard to imagine any parent that would rely on boxed nut milks for the sole source of fat and protein in a child's diet. There are of course unsweetened versions of all of these milks and sweetened versions of cows milk (strawberry milk anyone?). Nut milks are free of trans fats, cholesterol and hormones. Soy and hemp milk are great sources of protein and even though I'm not convinced that the added vitamins in all milks (including dairy) are all that absorbable or useful, you can get fortified versions of all of them. D2 in particular, which is used most commonly in dairy and nut milks has been shown to absorb poorly. The article fails to mention how allergenic dairy is, how poorly calcium from milk is actually absorbed or whether its a good source of calcium or the devastating environmental impacts of dairy production. Not to mention the rates worldwide of lactose intolerance or cultures that drink no milk at all and yet still are super healthy. The article from the CBC is poorly balanced, misinformed and designed to instil doubt and fear. Dieticians, and the CBC, should know better.

My wife recently ran the Live it Up 8km run in Parksville, Vancouver Island. The event was almost entirely made up of female athletes, was full of great prizes and really good swag. The post run buffet and gala are much grander than I'm used to. I ran part of the course earlier that day so I could pass along information to my wife and I can attest to it being absolutely gorgeous, mostly groomed trail and largely along the ocean. This super well run event is getting more popular every year, so if you're looking for a race that pampers as much as it challenges you, then I highly recommend it. Btw, men are welcome, and I may run it next year.

I recently sat down with Amy, who just moved from Toronto to Vancouver Island seeking a west coast lifestyle that she couldn’t get in the hustle and bustle of Canada’s largest city. Amy’s dream was to start a small farm. She bought a parcel of land here with the aim of creating a business where she could sell nutritious plant based food at farmers markets. Her journey to a plant based diet and her involvement in the culture really caught my interest.

“I’ve lost count of how many times I have restarted.” Those are Amy’s words on the Dr. McDougall website where she volunteers as a facilitator. Her weight loss journal is posted on the forum and I encourage you to read it for revealing insight into the mind of someone struggling with their weight. Quotes that stuck out for me: “Last night, after posting, and watching TV, I ate a whole box of rice crackers. A whole box. The calorie count for that was 450…..I don’t know how to be or sound inspirational or motivational. I haven’t had much success with motivating myself….I will not be weighing myself this week……I have often wanted to remove this journal, and many of my struggling thoughts…..it pains me to read through it’s history…..Today my daughter had a friend over for a get-together; after I fed them dinner I made a fruit sorbet….very delicious and easy to overeat….and overeat it I did.”

I found myself scrolling through her words and identifying with the struggle despite not having an identical story. Sweets have always been my thing and when confronted with pie, candies or chocolate I’ll have internal battles even now. If you’re in the midst of a weight loss journey I think you’ll find her words familiar. She accompanies her posts with photos of everything she eats good or bad never glossing over the failures or over-selling the wins.

A big influence for Amy was the work of Jeff Novick RD who Amy credits with introducing her to the notion of calorie density, a concept from Dr Barbara Rolls at Penn State. The idea is that people tend to eat the same quantity of food each day, but we can adjust the amount of calories we consume by dominating that quantity with low calorie foods. You can watch a video that explains calorie density here.

Amy ultimately lost 100 pounds. One….Hundred….Pounds!!! Her BMI was 43 when she started and she was pre-diabetic. When I met with Amy this week I saw a vibrant healthy person, somewhat shy, but full of the energy you notice when someone has discovered something most don’t. Before you ask, I don’t really know what that “something” is. Amy and I talked about this, what we say when people ask us what the “secret” is to losing weight or getting healthy. It’s impossible to put into words, maybe because it isn’t the same for everyone. That secret that most people don’t seem to ever grasp is elusive. I can’t put my finger on it, neither can Amy. But we both agreed that when you have the courage to step outside of societal norms life just becomes….better. The key is overcoming resistance to change, and Amy did that, little by little, with lots of failure along the way and a struggle that continues even now. I sat with her as part of our little club, knowing that if I could do it, and she could do it, then everyone can. We just have to figure out how to convince you it's possible.

To be clear, weight-loss wasn’t an overnight journey for Amy. She became “plant curious” in 2006 when reading Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman but didn’t consistently make a change until 2014. You read that right, from contemplation to action there was a 9 year gap. Finally it wasn’t just her weight but blood sugars and frequent chest infections that were concerning her. She was exhausted all the time. Amy had reached her tipping point.

Amy's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and after some evidence was presented to her (articles by Dr Greger, Dr Fuhrman and Dr McDougall) she joined her daughter on her plant based journey. Together they went to a 10-day Dr McDougall intensive retreat. Today her mother is cancer free. It’s impossible to know what role her diet played in the cancer disappearing but I believe we create a terrain where our body can heal by reducing stress. Dietary stress (one created from the standard American diet) is created when we constantly bombard ourselves with nutrient deficient, foods. Her doctor's advice was for her mother to eat for fun, enjoy life and fill up on pleasurable foods. Mine would be to feed your body in a way that gives it the ammunition to fight back. We need to fight the myth that eating nutritious foods can’t be fun. Amy and I were in complete agreement that food is much more enjoyable for us now that we’ve embraced plant based eating. It’s more adventurous and frankly better tasting.

I asked Amy for one piece of advice she could share with someone beginning a weight loss journey. In her words:"The best advice that I have learned from my experiences is too try very hard not to put your weight loss goals within a particular timeframe, such as: I want to lose 2 pounds per week, or I want to be at goal weight by Christmas. This can set many people up to fail because they feel like they didn’t work hard enough which can lead to becoming discouraged and giving up or procrastinating. How fast you lose weight is not something you can really control. Your body is going to lose at the pace it’s going to lose. What you can control is what you choose to eat every week, every day and every meal. Set goals around adherence to the particular dietary pattern you choose to use. For example, I will eat an oil-free plant based diet when I’m at home for 18 of my 21 weekly meals. This way you have some wiggle room for errors as well as some space to exceed your own expectations!Mostly I want everyone to know that this is difficult and many people who have not struggled in this way don’t understand. Keep doing your best and know that you are not alone."

I’d like to propose a challenge to you if you're contemplating a diet change right now. Do it now. Don’t wait until New Year’s. Don’t make it a resolution. I know what you’re thinking. I have Christmas parties, there will be treats and drinks. There will be overindulgence and I don’t want to be dieting when others are enjoying themselves. But that’s perfectionist thinking. You don’t have to be perfect, that should not be the goal. What if you did overindulge but each day you added something healthy? Maybe you ate one stalk of celery every day. Go ahead and scoff at such a tiny goal, but I say that’s 7 stalks of celery a week you’d never have eaten otherwise. The accumulation of those little steps do help. You can still indulge, but what you’re doing is making your New Years resolution a smaller step, not so Herculean in scale. After all you’re already eating celery. Maybe when you get to that Christmas party seek out the token veggie or fruit tray they always have and decide to eat from that tray before you try anything else. Develop strategies now that will help you this holiday season that won’t leave you starting from scratch on January 1st. If this appeals to you check out the Small Steppers program on Sid Garza-Hillman's website.

Diets don’t work. We all know that, you didn’t need to come here to discover that nugget of information. What you need is life long habit change. If the one thing you change is to include more vegetables in your life every day, then you’ll already have done more than most. And that’s it, that’s the secret Amy or I can’t put into words. It’s the little things every day that you can do that will create lasting change. They will mold you into a different person. You’ll be a person that eats asparagus. That eats apples and that has a bag of radishes on their desk at work. Little by little these tiny changes mold you into something new. And then, one day, maybe 55 pounds lighter like I am now someone will come up to you and ask you what the “secret” is. You’ll be dumbfounded. You won’t have an answer, but you will have celery. ​

I thought it would be nice to have an occasional post where I share links, news stories, podcasts, YouTube videos and other bits of information I come across that people may find value in. I'll do my best to keep it up. Below you'll find a list of what media I've come across that was super interesting in some way or another.

Interview with Tero Isokaupplia on the Rich Roll Podcast. Normally with Rich's podcast I listen to the first few minutes (pro tip, skip ahead 10 minutes to get past the adverts in the beginning) and judge whether the topic resonates with me. Rich goes very in depth with people and if I'm not captured I don't invest the time. My initial judgement was that Tero wouldn't grab me as I'm not that into mushrooms but give this one a chance, it's a great conversation.

As a natural consequence of that podcast I ordered some cordyceps and ashwaganda from Harmonic Arts. If you live in British Columbia I highly recommend them.

My wife ran the Cowichan Classic 10K race in October and I went to spectate. It's mostly gravel, but through beautiful country and a very well run race. I plan to add it to my race wish list, I think you'd like it if you're into that sort of thing.

I finished Sid Garza-Hillman's book Raising Healthy Parents. I love the message in this book where we can't take care of the people and things that matter in our lives if we don't nurture ourselves. Sort of like the airline wisdom of putting on your oxygen mask first before you help a loved one. Plus Sid's humour really appeals to me, but that could just be me. If you're a parent then this book is for you. I highly recommend it.

The documentary What the Health is getting the typical backlash any popular media will get when it gains fame. It's an interesting debate but I'll say this, anything that brings light to the topic, whether criticism or applause, is a good thing. Anyway this YouTube video was fascinating. You can witness for yourself discomfort of these media doctors. A great deal of people have approached me after seeing What the Health on Netflix asking about eating a plant based diet. In fact the last person I interviewed was influenced by it. For that reason alone, it's done a great service to people's health.

Soy has hit the news this week with the FDA revoking industries right to claim on packaging that soy reduces cardiovascular disease. I often find myself calming people and their unfounded soy fears, mostly as a result of the myths perpetuated by the Weston A. Price Foundation (a Dairy lobby) and CNN did a good job or presenting a balanced story on the news. In the meantime, go ahead and keep eating (organic) soy foods, you will not as a result become overwhelmed with estrogen (soy contains phytoestrogens as do a lot of foods, it's not the same thing and can actually block estrogen, fear not).

Speaking of the Weston A. Price Foundation and their ongoing lobbying efforts against a vegan diet, I've had one of their books thrown at me more than once (they publish a lot of books to sell their nutritional philosophy of raw milk bone broth and high protein/fat diets). Finally someone did a rebuttal of their book "The Vegetarian Myth" which you can find here. It's very well done.

A training update: I'm not running a lot since my marathon, just four times a week, and nothing overly strenuous. I've started a journal tracking symptoms of nausea that I had while marathon training, but they haven't cropped back up since my mileage dropped. The idea is to try and find a pattern that causes nausea. I've been mixing in some rides on Zwift, but haven't gotten back to yoga or the gym yet. You can follow my training on Strava if you like, I'll follow you back.

My next race: A popular fun run called the Cinnamon Bun Fun Run is on my calendar in December. Money raised goes to the food bank (as well as food donations) and this local event sells out fast every year. The cinnamon buns always run out early, but since they aren't vegan I signed up for the 10K so all the 5K people can have them finished before I'm done! I thought that was a solid strategy. I don't plan to run very hard, and the unique thing about this race is tracking devices aren't allowed. You predict your time (I think I predicted 42 minutes) and the person closest to their predicted time wins. It should be a nice shakeout run before the next races in January.

That's it! I'll check back in in a week or so, I hope you enjoyed some of the items above. There's a video below if you're into that sort of thing!